1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to wake up alarm devices and, more particularly, to alarm clocks having a programmable alarm for waking a sleeper more naturally.
2. Background Description
Presently, there are several types of alarm clocks available to wake a sleeping person. These include, for example, alarm clocks with a bell alarm, a beeper, or a tone generator each repetitively generating a jarring sound as an alarm. Clock radios are an attempt to eliminate the unnatural repetitive tone alarm, replacing it with broadcast music, for example, in order to wake the sleeper to a more calmly and soothingly. Even some of these clock radio alarms include functions wherein the alarm, whether a bell, beep, or radio, begins at a quiet, low volume that gradually increases until someone turns off the alarm. This ramped volume gently and gradually wakes the sleeper, to avoid the jarring effect of the clanging bell of the traditional alarm clock.
Alarms have been developed more recently that further reduce the traumatic effect of being woken by a traditional alarm. One such product is clock that simulates dawn to create a natural alarm clock marketed presently in the US as the “Sunrise Alarm Clock,” produced by Outside In (Cambridge) Ltd. These natural alarm clocks look like a bedside light with a built-in alarm clock. Simulating dawn gives the sleeper's internal body clock an opportunity to synchronize with the alarm, thereby, waking the person gently and more naturally. The manufacturer asserts that unlike traditional alarms, which may leave a person feeling groggy for several hours, after being awoken, the natural alarm allows the sleeper's system to adjust normally to the artificial dawn so that the person wakes up without the groggy feeling.
Although these natural wake-up alarm systems exhibit some degree of efficacy, they still do not accommodate another very important sleep factor known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Numerous studies have been done on sleep and sleep disorders. From these studies, sleep has been characterized as alternately having periods of REM sleep (typically lasting 5–60 minutes) interspersed with periods of non-REM sleep (typically lasting about 90 minutes).
Further, it has been shown that how quickly one awakens depends upon whether the person is woken during non-REM or REM sleep. A person having been woken during REM sleep finds it harder to wake up and function normally, experiencing more subsequent drowsiness than if woken during non-REM sleep. Unfortunately, these prior art systems wake the sleeper at a specific time independent of whether the person is in non-REM or REM sleep.
It has also been shown that dreams occur during the REM sleep. Typically, those dreams are forgotten. Often, people struggle to remember recent dreams and dream interpretation is part of popular culture, see e.g., www.dream-analysis.com and see, dir.yahoo.com/Social—Science/Psychology/Branches/Sleep—and—Dreams. Waking during REM sleep or immediately thereafter would assist in remembering dreams.
Thus, there is a need for an alarm clock capable of waking sleepers during non-REM sleep with less resulting drowsiness, the awakened sleeper feeling refreshed and alert or, conversely to select having a recollection of some of the previous nights dreams.